The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1911. THE HIGH SCHOOL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 308, 23 May 1911, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1911. THE HIGH SCHOOL.

A few months ago a somewhat vehement controversy was waged in our correspondence columns over the local High School, ami, as a result of the serious strictures contained in some of the letters, the Board of Governors decided to invite the EducutionDepartment to appoint a qualified officer to inspect and report upon the school. The. work fell to the Inspector-General of Schools (Mr. llogben) and the Inspector of Secondary Schools (Mr. Gill), and their report came hefore the Board .of Governors on Friday evening. The report was, on the whole, not unfavorable to the school, its teachers or its methods. ■ The inspectors pointed out that "the work of the school is sound on the whole, and the defects are such as can lie remedied without the aid of a revolution." They approved, generally, of the teaching, which in some directions, they affirmed, showed marked improvement, but pointed out that the staff is insufficient and recommended that another teacher be appointed to permit of the modernising of the school programme. The Inspectors further showed that the school suffered because of the average school life being so much shorter than other schools of a similar character; they condemned the examination fetish: and expressed themselves as very pleased with the tone'of the school. Generally speaking, therefore, they "passed'' the school, its teachers and (he hitter's methods, only finding fault with the arrangement of the classes and one or iwo other details. The chairman and a majority of the Board of Governors approved of the report and adopted its recommendations, going further by increasing the salaries of the teachers all round. Two of the members, namely, Messrs "Wilson and Glasgow, did not feel that all is well with the school and its operations, notwithstanding the report, and spoke out freely and strongly, eventually resigning as a protest against being parties (o continuing a condition, of affairs which they regard as inimical fo the interests of the scholars and the community generally. Vor their outspoken criticism, both gentlemen deserve the thanks of the public. Only a strong -cine of public duty would, we are revtain, have moved them to take up the unequivocal position thev did. It would have been far more pleasant and certainly more easy for their to have fallen into line with (lie other members. Its ureal est friend must admit that the school does not fill the position it should in the community: and that it has failed, in a more or less degree, to become what its founders originally planned, namely, the centre of secondary education in Taranaki. It was mentioned at the meeting that there has been and is a great deal of prejudice airninst the school. That may he true. "Whether it is justified we do not intend to enquire juM now. We are concerned more about the present and future welfare of the school. There is this fact to consider, that n number of parents in New Plymouth send their children away to *ce-

(Miliary schools in oilier centres when those children should be educated locally. Also, tluit the people from outside the town do not send their children to New Plymouth; they send them to Wanganui, Wellington or Xelson, Wo realise that 11 proportion of local parents would always send their children away to be educated, even if we had the finest and most successful school in the Southern Hemisphere, for the reason of the disciplinarian and other beneficial effects following a course of study in an outside residential college. These parents, of course, would be in a position to defray the cost entailed. It is not this section, however, that is to be considered. It is that section of parents who, though really financially unable to do so send their children away because of their dissatisfaction with the teaching at the local High School. It means a big sacrifice to them, and they would not make it unless they felt they had full and sufficient reason. We realise, also, that the unsuitable train service prevents many a pupil coming from down the line. But there are a great many Taranaki scholars sent away to boarding schools that should, if greater confidence existed regarding our school, come here. Again we realise, in reference to the complaint made that but for. the influx of pupils from primary schools the High School might have to close itß doors, that parents prefer taking advantage of the State's generosity, in the matter of providing free places at high schools, to paying the fees themselves. We are aware also that the average pupil does not stay long enough at school to permit of full justice being done to himself, his school, or his teachers. Admitting and allowing for all this, there is a noticeable lack of confidence in the school that, has kept and is keeping the school back. This phase of the question was, of course, not referred to by the Inspectors, who necessary confined themselves to the school and its work. Yet it is the most serious ispeet, though the members of the Hoard, with the exception of Messrs Wilson and Glasgow, gave it no consideration. We believe that if the lack of confidence were only half as great as it is, it would still be of serious moment, and call for the earnest attention of the Governors, for no school, especially a school placed in the peculiar position the New Plymouth High School is, can hope to do its best work, to discharge its great and important functions, unless it has the wholesouled confidence and support of the community in which it is located. The Board of Governors are, we feel sure, quite out of touch with the public in regard to the school and what is expected of it, or they would have taken action earlier and not waited till the public's patience became exhausted before moving, and the question arises if it is not good policy to democratise the constitution of the Board and bring it into line with the constitution of other educational institutions. Still, they have moved a little in deciding to carry out the suggestions of thb Inspectors, and for this, we suppose, we should be duly thankful. We hope as friends of the school that the alterations will be the moans of improving the teaching standard of the school, and. what is more, will lead to a restoration of confidence from the lack of which it has suffered so greatly in the past. The headmaster and staff are now put on their mettle, and nothing will please u* better than to he able to report later on that they have "made good" and brought the school to the high position of efficiency and influence its many friends desire it to occupy.